1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a tie down for securing cargo within the bed of a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tie down removably mounted within the stake pocket of a pick-up truck.
2. Discussion
The use of a cargo carrying vehicle such as a pick-up truck often times involves the need to secure cargo in place. In addition, it is often advantageous to cover the open area of a pick-up truck with a tonneau cover, camper top or other similar device. Accordingly, operators of pick-up trucks and other cargo carrying vehicles commonly utilize the tie downs fixed around the perimeter of the truck bed to provide anchorages for securing the cargo located within the vehicle bed.
One type of tie down provides a hook or cleat type anchorage which is fastened to the vehicle side wall by screws or other threaded fasteners. In order to attach this type of tie down to the vehicle, additional fastener apertures must be drilled or punched through the vehicle wall. The drilling of the special fastener apertures is not only tedious and time consuming, but very likely detracts from the aesthetic appeal and resale value of the vehicle. Also, cutting or drilling into the sheet metal of the vehicle can, and often does, void warranty on the vehicle. Furthermore, access to both sides of the vehicle side wall may be limited thereby impeding attachment using a standard bolt and nut.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a stake pocket tie down which may be removably fitted to a pick-up truck side wall without drilling or cutting the side wall.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tonneau cover latch releaseably engageable with an assembly secured to the stake pocket of the pick-up truck.
The invention includes a stake pocket tie down for a motor vehicle having a cargo area defined by an outer side wall, an inner side wall, a bed and a tailgate. The outer side wall has a stake pocket defined by a top surface and a downwardly extending flange. The stake pocket tie down includes a support plate assembly, a clamping plate assembly, a striker and bolts.
The support plate is inserted into the stake pocket with the clamping plate hooked over the top of the truck bed.
A weld nut on the support plate is aligned with an existing hole in the truck bed side wall, and an aligned hole in the clamping plate, and a bolt installed. A second bolt is installed into a second weld nut at the top to secure the support plate and clamp plate together at the top.
A striker bracket was previously attached to the clamping plate with two weld nuts and two bolts. This positions a striker bar to be engaged with a standard cable releaseable rotary latch mounted on the tonneau cover as shown.
A durable bracket assembly is designed to be installed in each stake pocket without requiring drilling holes in the cargo box sheet metal, each bracket assembly is adapted to mount a striker matable with a cable operated rotary latch mechanism attached to each corner of a tonneau panel cover. The brackets resist side to side movement of the tonneau panel cover caused by the lateral deflections of the cargo box normally occurring as the truck is driven, to greatly reduce seal wear which otherwise would occur.
Tonneau cover hinges can be at the front or center of the box instead of the rotary latch mechanisms. A tool box attachment could also be mounted to the bracket assemblies at the front of the cargo box instead of the rotary latch mechanisms.
A tailgate lock is also provided by mounting a downward projecting panel striker received in a slot in a receiver bracket on the tailgate and aligned with a slot in a plate assembly attached to the xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d pillar of the box. Thus, the tailgate is securely locked whenever the tonneau cover is latched in the down position.